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Medical Benefits of a Tummy Tuck

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Abdominoplasty is a common plastic surgery procedure that can tighten the abdominal muscles and remove loose skin to give a flattened and toned appearance. Women often turn seek out a tummy tuck following pregnancy and childbearing to restore their pre-pregnancy figures, but men and women can also benefit from the procedure if they’ve lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time.

While most people may think tummy tucks are only for cosmetic purposes, that’s not the case says Detroit plastic surgeon Dr. Ali.

“There are wonderful cosmetic benefits to a tummy tuck procedure for sure,” says Dr. Ali. “But there are also important medical benefits that can often be overlooked. And that might be why the procedure saw an 87% increase between 2000 and 2014.”

So what are those benefits?

Improved Tone and Posture Stomach muscles can become distended after extreme weight loss or multiple pregnancies. And in these cases, diet and exercise won’t be enough to improve the appearance. A tummy tuck will actually tighten these muscles while removing excess skin and fat to give a more flattened and toned appearance.

Weakened abdominal muscles are also associated with poor posture. When the abdominal muscles are tightened, patients may find their posture improves because their spine is better supported.

Hernia Correction Significant weight loss or surgeries, such as a C-section, can lead to ventral hernias. This type of hernia occurs when the intestine or abdominal tissue goes through the abdominal wall and forms a sack. Weakened abdominal muscles are often the culprit, and once you have had a hernia, you may be more susceptible to it reoccurring. An abdominoplasty during a hernia repair procedure can strengthen the abdominal wall and prevent a hernia from reoccurring.

“There are tremendous benefits to abdominoplasty,” says Dr. Ali. “But it is important that patients go into it with realistic expectations. It is a major surgery, and requires a significant recovery time following it. It is not meant to be a weight loss procedure, but rather to help patients who are at or near their ideal weight achieve strengthened abdominal muscles and a flattened, toned look.”

Recovery from a tummy tuck can take several weeks, and with any surgical procedure, there are always risks associated. But in the hands of skilled surgeon, and with the right expectations, patients find the idea of a tummy tuck, and both its cosmetic and medical benefits, very appealing.